Float valve for hydraulic pumping systems



Nov'.14,1939. BQSHARE V 2.1s0,173

FLOAT VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC PUMPING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 20, 1937 2 Sheets- Sheet l 2'2 INVENTOR.

34/? 57-7 SMQRE ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1939. B, SHARE 2,180,173

FLOAT VALVE FOB HYDRAULIC PUMPING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 20. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/I a: '-nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn VIII/011%) INVENTOR. ,BFi/P/VETT HERE ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 14, 1939 2,180,173

FLOAT VALVE FOR HYDRAULIG PUMPING SYSTEMS Barnett Share, Jamaica Estates, N. Y.

Application December 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,696

3 Claims. (Cl. 13768) Thisinvention relates to improvements in structed in accordance with the present invenvalves in pumping systems and has particular tion.

I- ,.VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE reference to a hydraulic system in which a vacu- Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View 1 um pump is employed to withdraw air from the on the line 2- -2 of Figure 1. '5 intake side of a centrifugal pump. Figure 3 is a similar view taken at right angles Such systems are known wherein a suction or to Figure 2; 1 liquid-receiving chamber is in communication F gure 4 is a section substantially on the line with the intake of a centrifugal pump and has 44 of Figure 2, and I I therein a, float-controlled means for governing Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of the the operation of a valve means which, in turn, suction control valve employed in conjunction 10 controls the amount of the suction produced in with the invention. said chamber from a vacuum pump in accord- The invention is illustrated in connection with ance with the liquid level in said chamber. In a pumping system such as may be employed with p ,4 known systems of this type, the communication a plurality of well points for the drainage of unbetween the, intake and suction chamber has derground bodies of water, draining excavations 15 been maintained open at all times with the result and other like purposes. To facilitate the transthat the float-controlled means is constantly subportation from place to place of the apparatus jected to the action of the liquid in said chamembodying said systems, it has been customary ber while the system is in operation; and, as a to combine, as a unit, the various instrumentaliconsequence it has not been practical to gain ties comprising the same. Thus, as shown in Fig- 20 access to the interior of said chamber for repair ure 1, a portable frame 6 has mounted thereon work on the suction valve and control mechanism the centrifugal and vacuum pumps 1 and 8, re therefor and for other purposes, without first spectively, both of which may be of conventional stopping the operation of the system. design. A prime mover, such as a motor (not 5- A feature of the present invention is to utilize shown), may also be secured to said frame and its a preponderance of suction on the centrifugal shaft 9 coupled to the shaft ll] of the impeller for pump side of the intake over that on the vacuum the pump 1, with the latter shaft driving the pump side thereof, such as occurs when said cenvacuum pump 8 through the medium of a belt trifugal pump has a full head of liquid therein, and pulley arrangement ll.

to close communication between said intake and On the frame 6 there is also mounted a hous- 30 said suction chamber whereby access may be ing generally indicated by the numeral l2 the inhad to the latter through a convenient normally terior of which (Fig. 2) is divided into intake, closed opening therein while the system is in opsuction and discharge chambers I3, l4 and I5, reeration. spectively, there being a horizontal partition i6 l A furtherfeature resides in an improved type defining the intake chamber from the other 35 of suction control valve structure interposed bechambers, with a port I! establishing communitween the vacuum pump and suction chamber cation between said intake and suction chamfor governing the amount of suction therein, in bers. On the outer side of the housing !2 the which said structure embodies a flexible valve same is provided with an inlet pipe 18 in line one end of which is fixed, with its other end com with the intake chamber l3 and on the opposite 40 nected to a float-controlled roller upon which side of said housing adjacent the centrifugal the valve, is wound from end to end and from pump I, said chamber is connected to the pump which it is unwound in a similar manner as said through the port it. Within the chamber l3 roller is moved back and forth by the rise and there is mounted a filtering screen 20 made of 5 fall of liquid in the suction chamber, and whereangular disposed. sections suitably reinforced by in said roller is guided in its movements so that a framework 2i and so arranged with respect to the flexible valve will be uniformly engaged with the port 19 as to exclude gravel and other foreign its seat and disengaged therefrom during rebodies from the pump 7 as water flows into the peated operations. intake. In the bottom of the chamber l3 there ot 'Ihe inventive idea involved is capable of reis provided a removable plug 22 closing a drainceiving a variety of mechanical expressions one age opening in said chamber through which acof which, for purposes of illustration, is ho n cumulation of foreign matter therein may be rein the accompanying drawings, wherein: moved from time to time.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an Disposed within the suction chamber l4 diapparatus embodying a pumping system conrectly over the port ll there is mounted a valve 55 chamber 23 provided with openings 24 in the bottom thereof through which liquid may flow into the chamber I 4 from the intake, and normally closing the port H, which is encircled by said valve casing, is a ball valve 25. The upper end of the casing 23 is provided with a plurality of small openings 26 which establish communication between the interior of the casing and the suction chamber l4 so that said valve may be affected by the suction in the latter chamber which is created by the operation of the vacuum pump 8 and controlled by the suction valve 21, as will presently be described. The top of the chamber 24 is provided with an opening 28 which is normally sealed by a cover plate 29 that may be removed when it is desired to gain access to the chamber l4 should repair to the apparatus therein be necessitated. In accordance with the present invention, such access to the interior of the chamber l4 may be had, as distinguished from other known systems, during the actual operation of the system, by reason of the provision of the valve 25 which controls the port II. This is brought about by the fact that when a full head of water is being drawn through the intake into the pump 1, sufiicient suction will be created by the vacuum in said pump to overcome the suction in the chamber 1 produced by the vacuum pump 8 and, as a consequence, the valve 25 will be drawn down upon its seat and close the port ll after the chamber M has been emptied of any liquid therein by the suction of the pump 1. The valve 25 will remain in its closed position as long as there is a preponderance of suction in the intake and while such a condition exists the cover 29 may be removed so as to expose the apparatus in the chamber I l through the opening 28. An opening 30 with a cover plate 3! may also be provided in one of the side walls of the chamber M, if so desired.

Communication between the vacuum pump 8 and the chamber l 4 is established through a pipe 32 leading from said pump to a small auxiliary chamber 33 which, in turn, communicates with the chamber it through a port 34 so that a constant suction will be maintained in said chamber i las long as the valve 21 is partially or fully open. The degree of said suction is dependent upon the level of the liquid in the chamber [4 into which said liquid flows through the port I! as long as air enters the intake along with liquid being drawn into the pump 1. By reason of the suction created in the chamber I l such air enterthe intake will be drawn upwardly through the port ll and thus be prevented from entering the pump 'i to thereby increase the emciency of on of the latter and prevent it from becoming air-bound. The control of the valve structure 2'2 by the level of the liquid in the chamber i l is accomplished through the medium of the float 35 vertically slidable on a guide rod the ends of which are secured to the top and bottom of the chamber 54, with recoil springs 37 disposed at the ends of said guide rod which act as buffers for the float 35 in the event of a too violent surge of liquid into or out of the chamber l4, thus protecting the valve structure 27 to which said float 35 is connected.

The valve structure 21 will now be described in detail. This structure comprises a casting mounted in the chamber I l adjacent the port 34 of the auxliiary housing 33, and forming a part of said casting is an arcuate valve seat 38 provided therein with a plurality of small openings or ports 38. The opening and closing of the ports 39 in said valve seat is under the control of a flexible valve 40 which may be made of sheet rubber or rubberized fabric of a length which will cover all of the ports 39 in said seat when said valve is entirely closed. As shown, one end of the valve 40 is secured at 4| to the lower end of the seat 38 and the other end of said Valve is fastened to the periphery of an operating roller 43 which is adapted to be moved back and forth over the valve seat 38 through the medium of links 44 connected to the float 35 and to the ends of said roller. The path of travel of the roller 43 is concentric to the valve 38 and for this purpose said roller is carried by arms 45 pivoted at 46 to the casting 21. Means are provided for positively guiding the roller 43 in its movements back and forth across the valve seat 38 so that as the valve 40 is wound upon and unwound from said roller from end to end of the valve, it will be evenly coiled on said roller and made to lie flat against said seat. Such guiding of the roller in volves not only the prevention of any lateral shifting thereof along its longitudinal axis but also the maintenance of the roller in an absolute perpendicular position relative to its direction of travel. The guiding is accomplished through the medium of two flexible strips 41, which may also be made of rubber or like material, adjacent ends of which are secured at 48 to the upper end of the valve seat 38, while the other ends of said strips are secured to the outer extremities of the roller 43 in abutting relation to the longitudinal edges of the valve 40. By securing the strips 4! to the upper end of the seat 38 and one end of the valve 40 to the lower end of said seat, it will be apparent that as said valve is unwound from the roller 43 during its upward movement, when the ports 39 are being closed, the guide strips 41 will be wound upon the ends of said roller, while in the downward movement of the latter the valve M will be wound upon the roller, and the guide strips will be unwound therefrom. Thus, there is produced, in effect, a joint holding action of the valve and guide strips upon the roller 43 which will prevent the latter from shifting out of its perpendicular relationship to the line of its travel over the seat 38. Also, the engagement of the inner edges of the strips 41 with the longitudinal edges of the valve 40 will assist in guiding the latter as it is wound upon the roller or unwound therefrom. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that as the float 35 rises and falls within the chamber I 4 due to variations in the liquid level therein, the roller 53 will be moved upwardly and downwardly to progressively cover and uncover the ports 39 in the valve seat and thus regulate or control the amount of suction produced in the chamber I4 by the vacuum pump 8; and it will be further apparent that should an excess of liquid flow into the chamber M the valve 40 will completely close communication between said chamber l4 and the vacuum pump and thus prevent entrance of liquid into the latter through the pipe 32.

The centrifugal pump l is connected to the discharge chamber l5 through the outlet conduit 58 and the flow of such discharge from said chamber through its outlet port 5i (Fig. 4) is controlled by a disc valve 52 normally engageable with a seat 53 that surrounds the inlet into said chamber from the conduit 58. Extending laterally from the valve seat 53 are a plurality of guide rods 54 upon which the valve 53 is slidably mounted, and coil springs 55 mounted on said rods and interposed between the valve 52 and a connecting ring 56 for the rods 54, bear against said valve 52 and maintain it in a closed position as long as there is insufficient pressure of liquid in the conduit to overcome the action of the springs 55. However, when suflicient pressure is built up in the conduit 50, the valve 52 will be opened by such pressure and the liquid from the pump 1 will be permitted to flow into the discharge chamber I5 and thence outwardly through the port 5|. Means are provided for limiting the opening movement of the valve 52 so as to control the discharge flow. Said means is preferably in the form of a screw threaded rod 5! extending through a stuffing-box 58 mounted in a wall of the chamber [5 and provided at its outer end with a handle 59 by means of which said rod may be adjusted back and forth in said stuffing-box. The inner end of the rod 51 is spaced from the valve 52 by adjustment of said rod and acts as an abutment against which said valve will engage when the latter is forced away from its seat by pressure of liquid in the conduit 50. The opening movement of said valve is thus limited by the rod 5! and in this manner the amount of the discharge flow may be controlled and regulated.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve structure for use in hydraulic pumping systems comprising an arcuate valve seat adapted for disposition in a suction chamber and having perforations therein, a flexible valve for said seat having one end fixed thereto, a roller to which the other end of said valve is attached, a float in said suction chamber, links connecting said float with said roller to wind said valve on the latter and unwind it therefrom when said float rises and falls in said chamber, and flexible guide strips for said roller secured to the same and to said seat on opposite sides of said valve and in contact therewith.

2. A valve structure for use in hydraulic pumping systems comprising an arcuate valve seat adapted for disposition in a suction chamber and having perforations therein, a flexible valve for said seat having one end fixed thereto, a roller to which the other end of said valve is attached, a float in said suction chamber, links connecting said float with said roller to wind said valve on .the latter and unwind it therefrom when said float rises and falls in said chamber, and flexible guide strips for said roller secured to the same and to said seat on opposite sides of said valve and in contact therewith.

3. A valve structure for use in hydraulic pumping systems comprising an arcuate valve seat adapted for disposition in a suction chamber and having perforations therein, a flexible valve for said seat having one end fixed thereto, a roller to which the other end of said valve is attached, a float in said suction chamber, links connecting said float with said roller to wind said valve on the. latter and unwind it therefrom when said float rises and falls in said chamber, and flexible guide strips for said roller having certain ends thereof secured thereto and the other ends fastened to the end of said seat opposite that to which said valve is connected.

BARNETT SHARE 

